Disease
by Pugnacious Peace
Summary: Hijiri is a teen who believes in ghosts. Tsuzuki is his Skeptical best friend. When they sneak into an old haunted hospital, each trying to prove the other boy wrong, they are BOTH Surprised... COMPLETED!


_**Ugh... FULL version of 'Disease'... -.-**_

_**Okay... Now I have looked ALL OVER for 'Paraphylectic shock' and never found anything. Why? Because it doesn't exist. XD I had been using the wrong term this WHOLE time. What I meant was 'Anaphylactic Shock' so... Yea...Well, since I am too lazy to look at all of my chapters and fix everything, I will use a NEW word, since Anaphylactic shock wasn't quite what I was searching for. What I WAS searching for, however, was something that would shut the WHOLE body down in a matter of hours. No, I don't mean an allergic reaction; I mean just shut it down. **_

_**So, without further explanation... I announce to you... the newest word in the ghostgurl0894 dictionary of completely made up words... **_

_**Paraphylectic shock; reaction to chemicals that decrease the oxygen in blood and replace all blood cells.**_

_**There! **_

_**Stupid, I realize, but you'll just have to deal. ): **_

_**Chapter 1**_

_**Trip**_

_**January 23, 1981**_

_"Can you hear us?"_

_"Kid, hold on!"_

_"Don't give up!"_

_"Honey! It's me! Please, answer me... Are you alright?"_

_"Hurry! Open the door!"_

_"Hisoka! Hisoka!"_

The blurry images around him made him blink quickly, squinting just a little to get the faces into focus. He felt the ground beneath him shaking. He quickly figured out he was in a hospital. The smells were familiar. The shaking was the effect of him being on a table-like surface. He couldn't remember what it was. He couldn't remember much of anything, really. He couldn't remember what had happened. Why was he here? He attempted a breath, but his body protested against the idea. He gagged and coughed, his arms staying at his sides, but his hands squeezed something soft and warm.

A leg, maybe? Or was it a hand... an arm? He could hear a door open harshly, and then shut just behind him. The shaking abruptly stopped, and his body instead began to shake. He screamed as burning sped through his veins. In his blood. He began to cry, thrashing his legs. Hands clasped his body, and he brought his head up as high as it could go. "Make it stop!" He cried, before feeling his heart stop. He gasped for breath before slamming back down, his arms going limp. His lifeless eyes glazed over and stared at the wall, his vision fading and blacking out into a dark, endless abyss.

_**27 years later**_

The bus halted in front of the hospital. Several students rolled their eyes, getting off. "Ugh," One girl mumbled, crossing her arms. "This is going to be SOO stupid! It's an old abandoned hospital-turned-museum, what's so cool about it?"

A black haired boy got off soon after. "Well, maybe the teachers didn't know it, but it's said that this hospital is haunted by the spirit of a sixteen year old boy that died of a mysterious disease... Rumor has it that if ANYBODY stays there after Nine-Thirty, he appears and gives them the same disease he had! Then, four weeks later, they die in their sleep...!"

"Ewww!"

One girl, a girl that had a crush on this morbid-beauty, Gasped. "Do you know what he does if there isn't anybody there!"

"Nope. Nobody has ever seen him from outside."

The students stared at him, waiting for his usual comment.

"...And lived."

A brown haired boy laughed. His purple eyes shined as he put his arm around his friend pulling him away.

"Hijiri! What do you think you're doing! You've been suspended once already for doing that!"

"What? I'm just stating the facts!"

"They aren't facts, their rumors and superstitions."

"Tsuzuki... Oh, poor Naive Tsuzuki... There are things in this world not even the most brilliant Scientists can figure out...!"

"Or historians." Tsuzuki mumbled. "That boy isn't even real. I looked it up the day you told me that legend. As it turns out, there was no Kurosaki Hisoka there at the time, and he sure as hell didn't die there. He went once for stitches on his arm, then left. He grew up, became an archeologist, and died at the age of 73. Oh, and it wasn't even in the same TIME PERIOD as you said it was! It was in 1908, and you said your little ghostie died in 1981!"

"Oh, bull! You were just looking at the wrong name, that's all! There are plenty of people with that name; you just have to search for the right ones!"

A blond Teacher got off the bus and smiled. "Alright, Students! Want to go learn about science and History!"

"Aww, man!" A bunch of teens yelled.

A second teacher exited the bus and laughed. "Watari, you certainly aren't a big favorite with the kids, are you...?"

"...No. No I'm not... Go ahead, Tatsumi..."

"Alright, come on guys!"

The group traveled to the front door, where Tatsumi began his explanation.

"400 years ago, we never thought we would have accelerated this far in medicine. We have Tetanus shots, flu vaccines, and even several cures for some kinds of cancer. Imagine, not being able to be cured of anything. The common, less severe illnesses today were terrible back then, when we had no cures, vaccines, or preventative care."

Hijiri couldn't wait to see inside the building. Would it be creepy? New-looking? Would he catch a glimpse of the boy named Hisoka who walked the halls at night?

When the door opened, he was the first inside, dragging Tsuzuki in with him by the elbow.

"Wow..." He whispered.

"What, Hijiri? Not what you were expecting?" Watari asked, smiling.

"No... It isn't... It's better!" He turned to his left as a man wearing tour-guides uniform walked over to the group.

"Ah, you must be the high school group."

"Yessir!" Watari said in his usual happy tone. Nothing seemed to keep this man down.

"Well, follow me, and I'll show you around-"

"Excuse me..." A girl asked from the back, smiling. It was Hijiri's crusher. "A friend of mine told me that a ghost walks these halls... Is that true?"

Hijiri froze. Turning around, he saw Tatsumi glaring at him.

"Hijiri... What have I told you? You can't go around telling students these things."

"S...Sorry..."

-Later-

(**This** **Idea goes to mercenary553 on gaiaonline . com THANK YOU!**)

"And this is the room that caught fire ten years ago. Nobody's been in it since then, so nothing is really inside."

"Can we go in?" Hijiri asked, jumping to see inside the room through the window of the locked door.

"Sorry, but you can't. It's against the rules. Sorry." The man smiled softly.

"Alright, class, when we get back to school, you will be required to write a three page essay on what you learned today." Tatsumi said, smiling. The class groaned while Hijiri smirked.

"Hah! Piece of cake!"

Tsuzuki sighed and laughed. "I don't think that includes the rumor, kiddo."

Hijiri growled. "I am only three months younger than you, Tsuzuki! THREE MONTHS!"

Hijiri looked at the locked door and seen a burnt key plate inside. He squinted to take a look, but Tsuzuki grabbed his arm. "Come on! Let's go!"

-On the bus-

"Hijiri!" His crusher shouted, smiling and plopping beside him in the seat. Tsuzuki was on the other side, reading his book with his knees propped against the back of the seat in front of them. A pen was in his mouth, and Hijiri found himself staring.

"Hijiri... HIJIRI!"

Hijiri turned to face the girl. "BWAH! Erm... Mika... Hi. Sorry, I didn't realize you were there."

She giggled. "Yup! I'm here!" she snuggled against his arm, and he winced.

'Oie... I really wish she'd stop that...'

"So..." Hijiri suddenly got an idea. "How about we sneak into the hospital part of the building this weekend?"

Tsuzuki dropped his pen. "NO! N.O., NOOO!" He glared at the black haired boy. "Are you effin' NUTS!"

"No... Just curious. What's wrong, Tsuzuki? Don't want to come with me?"

"HELL NO! I am NOT going to break into a fricken hospital and risk my perfect record for a stupid ghost that DOESN'T EVEN EXIST!"

"He does to exist!" Hijiri countered, grabbing Tsuzuki's shirt in his fist. "And if you don't come with me, I'll spread it ALL around the school that you're a CHICKEN!"

"...You wouldn't."

"Oh, I would. You said the same thing about the ice in your underwear at the slumber party. Remember that?"

"Yes, and I've still got the chills from it..."

"Then don't doubt me, buddy!"

"..." Tsuzuki growled. "FINE! I'm in. But don't complain to me if there is no ghost."

Mika gasped. "OH OH! I WANNA GO!" She shouted. The students around them looked back and stared at them, and so did Watari.

"Shhh! Mika, shut up, and you can!" Hijiri growled.

"YAY!" She shouted louder, but then clamped her hand against her mouth. "I...I mean... yay!"

Hijiri glared at Tsuzuki, who smirked.

"Oh, this should be fun!" The black haired boy grinned.

"Oh yes..." He whispered back, beginning to read his book again. "Oodles."

-Weekend-

Hijiri grabbed his backpack and jumped out of his window, landing in Tsuzuki's arms. "Thanks for catching me; I probably would have broken my leg if you hadn't been there..."

"Yea. Darn, I should have let you fall."

Hijiri glared. "I would kill you, but you are my best friend."

"Oh, I'm SO happy!" Tsuzuki whispered sarcastically.

"Let's just go get Mika."

"...Can't we just forget her?"

"No, of course not, I already told her she could-" The boys turned, and Mika was there behind them. The boys let out a couple cries of shock, and Mika made a pose that looked much like a sailor-scout.

"No worries, Mika is already here!"

"Oh, boy, let's get the cake!" Tsuzuki said, laughing softly at his own sarcasm. Hijiri couldn't help but snicker.

Mika, however, gasped happily. "Oo! I get to be by my love and get cake! Yay!" She glomped Hijiri, who growled.

"Let's just get there before I kill this woman..."

And they snuck away, running towards the old hospital.

_**Chapter 2: **_

_**"Aww, crap!"**_

_**Hospital**_

Hijiri looked up at the old building, amazement in his eyes. "This place is... creepy!"

"...You say that as if you were happy..." Tsuzuki growled, shifting his bag on his back to his left shoulder.

"Maybe I am." Hijiri pointed his flashlight onto the windows. "Think there will be any old bloodstains on the walls of the basement?"

"Of course. Count on you to make a creepy place even creepier."

"...Sorry."

Mika jumped on Hijiri's back, making him shout. The cry echoed, and Tsuzuki looked back quickly. "MIKA! Let go of him! Let go!"

"But...But...but...!"

"Not buts, get off of me before I slam you into the ground!"

Mika blushed, and Tsuzuki cracked up laughing.

Hijiri growled. "You know what I MEANT!"

"I sure do, but I like the misinterpretation better!" He kept laughing, clutching his stomach. "The look on your face!" He kept laughing, but stopped when Hijiri reached out and smacked the back of his head. "..Ow..."

"Yea... Shut up."

The trio walked slowly towards the museum. Tsuzuki suddenly stopped a few feet from the door.

"Hold up... Wouldn't we need keys to even get in to the building, let alone in the basement where the hospital was?

Hijiri pulled up a key. "Heh Heh...!"

Tsuzuki's jaw dropped and he grabbed the key. "How did you...?"

"Don't ask. The greatest thieves keep their tricks to themselves."

"That's magicians!"

"...Shut up and unlock the door..."

Tsuzuki snickered and slid the key in and turned it, pushing the door open. "Oh, nothing here, let's go home."

Hijiri grabbed Tsuzuki's jacket as the brunette attempted to get through the door. "I don't think so. The ghost isn't up here, he's in the basement!"

"Aw. Poor guy. Is he chained to a radiator?" Tsuzuki joked; shutting the door after Mika came in.

"Har Har. You know, you'll pay for saying that. He will make you pay."

"Aww, please! GHOSTS. DON'T. EXIST. Simple."

Hijiri rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Come on!"

_**-Locked door-**_

''... Wow...''

''...yeah. It's even scarier in the dark... LET'S GO IN!'' Hijiri tried to unlock the door, but Tsuzuki grabbed his shoulder.

"Ah, let's not. Who knows what's in there, it could be dangerous."

"Aww, please. Besides, there is a name plate in here, I seen it earlier. I want to see who was in this room." He unlocked the door and walked in, pointing his flashlight at the walls. "Oh, man. It stinks in here..." He coughed and waved his hand above his nose.

"No! You think!" Tsuzuki looked around the room, waving around his own flashlight. Mika chose to stay behind. Hijiri picked up a burnt nameplate and looked at it.

"Kurosaki. HA! I TOLD YOU!" Hijiri laughed.

"Yeah, okay, you were right about him being here. And, since it's burnt and the fire happened ten years ago, it can stand that your little friend was already gone. HA! Told YOU!"

Hijiri growled. "Dammit..."

Mika screamed outside, and she ran into the room, slamming into Hijiri, who gasped. Tsuzuki dropped his flashlight.

"What?"

"I...I...I seen something... Darting across the hall and going downstairs..."

Hijiri looked at Tsuzuki and smirked. "Come on, let's follow it."

"WHAT! Are you crazy, Hijiri?" Tsuzuki growled and squeezed his shoulder. "Mika is clearly terrified of this thing! Whatever it was, we shouldn't follow it."

"Well, mister rational, are you scared?"

"I AM NOT! I'm just saying that whatever it was may have Mal intent!"

"So... You are scared." Mika moved as Hijiri got closer. "Come on. Show me you aren't afraid and follow it with me." He held out Tsuzuki's flashlight, the one he had dropped when he heard Mika scream. "Take it and let's go."

Tsuzuki stared at it. Finally, he grabbed it and flicked it on. "Alright. Let's go."

Mika shook her head quickly. "I don't want to go! Hijiri, please don't!"

"Oh, Mika, relax. If Tsuzuki is right, there is no ghost. It could have been your imagination. Or maybe you did see it, and Tsuzuki is wrong."

"And in that case, what do you think would happen?" Mika asked in a shaking voice, looking at Hijiri in the eyes. The boy smirked.

"Then don't cry at our funeral."

Mika actually teared up. "No! No, Hijiri! I love you, don't go!"

"Oh, relax. I trust Tsuzuki. He's smart." He looked at the brunette, who was beginning to re-think his decision.

"But what if he isn't as smart as he seems! What if he's wrong?"

"Then it's been fun."

Tsuzuki bit his lip. "Come on, Hijiri. Let's just go home and forget this. I'm sure it doesn't really matter who was right and who was wrong, right?"

"No, it matters. You know what? Go ahead. Go home. Both of you. I'm perfectly fine on my own!"

Mika ran towards the front door.

"Aren't you going with her?" Hijiri asked Tsuzuki, who sighed.

"No. My best friend needs me here."

Hijiri smiled. "Good. Come on, let's go down."

_**Basement; Old hospital**_

Hijiri laughed. "Oh, man. Look at this!"

Even Tsuzuki had to admit, this was rather impressive. The halls were still a bit dusty, but other than that, it looked as if it was still used, even now.

"Come on! I know where Hisoka's room was!"

"Hijiri! HIJIRI, NO!" Tsuzuki followed, running quickly to keep up with his raven-haired friend.

Hijiri turned into a room and laughed. "Here it is!"

Tsuzuki ran in moments later, and he gasped. The room looked so... clean. Hijiri apparently didn't find this eerie, and Tsuzuki felt a chill rise up his back.

"So..." Tsuzuki mumbled, looking up at the ceiling. "What does this Hisoka look like, anyway?"

"I don't know. Nobody has a picture of him. Nobody but the hospital itself. And the room where the files are burnt away. I think the Nameplate was there because they moved the body and hadn't thrown it away yet."

"I guess. Makes sense." Tsuzuki felt like he was being watched. As if the eyes were prying into his very soul. "Hijiri, let's go home. We've seen the room, come on."

"No way! We haven't even seen the ghost yet!"

Tsuzuki got close. "BOO! Okay, come on!"

Hijiri glared at him. "Tsuzuki... Come on. I just want to have this little bit of fun. Please?"

Tsuzuki sighed. "Alright... Alright... Where to next."

"One sec." Hijiri beat one of the old pillows on the bed, and a bunch of dust particles flew out. Hijiri coughed, and Tsuzuki laughed.

"Nice."

Hijiri hugged it close. "Oh, I hope this guy is real. I want to see him so bad! Do you realize how cool that would be! People would actually take me seriously!"

"Who doesn't take you seriously?"

"YOU!"

Tsuzuki looked down. "Point..."

"HELP ME!"

The shout came from down the hall, and both boys jumped halfway out of their skin. Hijiri was the first to the door, despite the fact that Tsuzuki was right next to it.

Nothing was there.

"Okay... that was creepy." Hijiri mumbled.

"Really? Wow, that's odd to hear out of your mouth."

The boys turned, and a boy was lying on the bed, blood hair matted and sweaty. His eyes were dull, and his arms were limp and hanging over the side.

"... Was he there when we came in...?"

"...No..." Hijiri stared.

"Are you seeing this, or just telling me you are to make me believe you...?"

"I'm seeing this..."

"Then what is it..."

"...A boy lying on the bed..." He gulped. His heart was pounding, and he started to get closer to Tsuzuki.

"Not so cool now, is it..." Tsuzuki mumbled, looking down.

"...No, it's still cool. Creepy, but cool..."

The boy was gone in a flash. The boys jumped and looked around.

"Okay... We seen him, can we go home?"

"...yea. Let's go." Hijiri fought to keep his heart from bouncing too rough. As they walked upstairs, the door to the normal Museum slammed shut and locked.

"Please tell me you have the key...?"

Hijiri smiled and reached to his back pocket, but he couldn't find it.

A childish giggle erupted through the halls, and the same blond boy they seen on the bed was running away, his bare feet making a loud 'smacking' on the tiles as he moved.

"HEY! Give that back!" Tsuzuki shouted, running after him. Hijiri ran behind him.

The boy looked back, and Tsuzuki caught a glimpse of emerald green eyes, just like Hijiri's. A mischievous grin was on his face as he turned a corner. When Tsuzuki moved around the same corner, the boy was gone.

And so was the key.

_**Chapter Three**_

_**Scratches and, perhaps, beauty within?**_

_**- Basement; 10:00 - **_

Hijiri still kicked on the door. "OPEN! YOU! STUPID! FRICKEN! WOODEN! DOOOOR!" He crashed against the ground and sighed. "Owww..." He winced and pulled his knee to his chest. "Great. Just great. Not only are we trapped in here with this.. Thingy, now the police will find us. You realize how much trouble we are going to get in!"

Tsuzuki leaned against the wall, glaring. "I... Hate... YOU! My record was perfect! Now, I will NEVER go to college! NEVER! NEEEEVEEER!"

SMACK!

Hijiri stood in front of Tsuzuki, his hand positioned on his cheek. Tsuzuki blinked.

"Thank you... I lost my cool..."

"Can't lose something you never had..." Hijiri mumbled, hitting Tsuzuki's cheek softly.

Tsuzuki glared. "I should really hurt you."

"Nahh... I'm good." Hijiri grinned and looked down at his leg. "Owww!" He bounced on one foot, holding his knee close to his stomach.

Tsuzuki, laughing, pulled himself away from the wall. "Look... I was wrong. I admit it. It looks like you were right about the ghost. And... As hard as it for me to say this... we need to keep this to ourselves when we get out."

Hijiri looked up from his knee and gasped. "You! The science boy! Oh my goodness, could it be! I can't believe it! You're so into science, and I figured that you would want Watari or someone to know about this!"

"Look, I know, Hijiri. But just hear me out. If anybody hears about this, they'll think we are insane. Let's see you try to get into collage when you're in a psychiatric hospital in a strait jacket eating pudding with a STRAW!" (I'm sorry if ANYBODY finds this offensive. This is not my real view on this sort of situation. It is not meant to offend ANYBODY, so I'm truly sorry if it does. I'm just being safe here.)

"Oh, please, Tsuzuki." Hijiri rolled his eyes and gently set his foot on the ground. "Man that hurts..."

"Well maybe you shouldn't have banged your knee against the door so many times."

"I... You... Look, you want to try it?"

"No..."

"Then shut your trap."

Tsuzuki sighed and walked down the stairs carefully, hanging onto the wall and adjusting his eyes to the dark.

"Man, it is hard to see..."

"Why don't you just use your flashlight? We've still got 'em..."

"Yea, but we don't want to waste the batteries..."

"We've got extras-"

"And the light casts shadows on the wall. We don't need to go into a panic attack over a simple shadow."

"Maybe... Maybe we are crazy. Maybe we're asleep at home, and all of this is a dream..."

Tsuzuki reached back and pinched Hijiri's arm. The black-haired teen winced. "Ow! What the hell!"

"Nope." Tsuzuki grinned. "We aren't dreaming. Well, you aren't at least."

Tsuzuki held his hand against the wall, feeling around to make sure he didn't slam into any other walls and knew where a corner had begun. As he walked, his hand touched a warm, solid lump on the wall. Fingers wrapped around his hand, as if the owner of the hands was his lover. It was soft at first, then rough. He winced as he felt nails pierce his skin. "Let... Go of me!" He pulled against the wall, feeling foolish to be fighting against a hand in the wall.

The hand let go on command, forcing him backwards to land on the floor, his cries of pain echoing through the halls.

A laugh started. It seemed child like at first, then it began to get even more evil, reminding him much of Raito from the new series Death Note (XD I had to do it. I just HAD TO!) His breathing rate began to increase.

"Hijiri, give me the flashlight."

"But-"

"GIVE IT TO ME, DAMMIT!"

Hijiri jumped and dug into his bag, pulling out the flashlights. He handed one to Tsuzuki and kept one for himself. Both lights came on at once, both zooming on one thing.

A boy, sitting in the corner. His hand was covering half of his face, as if hiding something... something he wanted no-one to know. His shoulders were quivering; he was the source of the laugh.

The laugh stopped, and the boy's shoulders stopped quivering. The laugh faded out, and Tsuzuki gasped as the boy began to stand.

The boy was at least sixteen, maybe seventeen, and he looked exactly like Hijiri, with the exception of the blond hair on his head. His body was naked. His skin was pale and zombie like. His veins, dark, were perfectly visible.

Hijiri was frozen in place. He was beginning to regret his decision to be interested. No, correction, he had been regretting it since the door locked on them.

The boy turned slowly, and suddenly collapsed, weak. Tsuzuki, on impulse, backed up and hit Hijiri, who was not even phased by the sudden move.

The teen moaned, and then looked up. His eyes were dull, and the right side of his face, the side he had been covering, was covered in blood. His eyes showed redness, as if salt had been thrown into the pupils. He disappeared, and Tsuzuki felt a large pressure against his body behind him. He expected Hijiri, but instead seen the blond boy. He was surprisingly solid, as if he was not dead, but just extremely fast. Tsuzuki stared into the eyes and gasped.

For being so dull, they certainly held a lot of sincerity and innocence, a look only a deprived or lonely teen could pull off. Tsuzuki felt entranced. His body began to get weak, and he pressed against the wall. Even with the innocence, the aura around him was sharp, frightening. Deadly. It was hard to breathe with all of the anger around him.

The boy reached out an arm slowly, shaking. He touched Tsuzuki's face, and he felt it burn. Screaming, he ripped away and fell to the floor, looking up. Only Hijiri was there, and the boy ran over.

"Are you alright? Jeez! You're bleeding!" Hijiri touched Tsuzuki's face, where four scratches went down his cheek.

"AHH! That hurts!" He whimpered. He felt as if acid had been pushed into his blood.

'Could this be the disease he was suffering from? Well, providing this isn't just some hallucination or coma-induced dream...'

Tsuzuki stood, holding his face. He was certain that this was Hisoka. This... ghost was his spirit. Could he be reaching out for help, and just didn't know how?

Or was he just getting a kick out of hurting the two for entering his territory?

Either way, he wanted out of this hell hole. He was never coming back to the Museum or the basement again, daylight or not.

Or even if, regarding the current marks, he will even make it out with his sanity intact.

_**Chapter Four**_

_**Truth**_

Tsuzuki looked away, his face burning slightly with the dusts' irritation.

Hijiri sat next to him.

"What are we going to do, Tsuzuki? I mean, we can't go and open the door, but we can't exactly ask Hisoka to do it either."

Tsuzuki turned the other direction to look at Hijiri, who had worry written all over his face. "What if the legend is true?" Tsuzuki asked himself, retreating to his own world. "What if Hisoka does kill people in their sleep with the same illness. Then how does one know if they've been infected... what symptoms to them give... burning? Itching? Fever? What about a cough?" He pointed his hands upward, feeling somebody pushing them from below. All of his fingers were pointed down except for one, and when Tsuzuki looked closer, he was pointing to a shelf in a room with an opened door.

Looking closer, he stared. "Hold up..." He stood and walked closer to the room, looking around. Soon, he searched the shelf. He found a brown box and pulled it off, blowing the dust off of the various charts inside.

"Kurosaki Hisoka. Born January 23, 1965, died January 23, 1981, 2:31 of Paraphylectic shock... But Hijiri, you said that a disease killed him...?"

"That's what I heard..." Hijiri walked closer, taking the chart out of Tsuzuki's hand.

"This whole box is on Hisoka... I wonder if they were conducting research on him..."

"Maybe..."

"Oh, look here..." Tsuzuki cleared his throat. "'Kurosaki Hisoka, age sixteen. Sex; Male. Blood Type; AB. Condition; Worse. Ailment; Lung Cancer...'" Tsuzuki gasped.

"Whoa... So maybe he did die of some sort of disease-"

"Listen..." Tsuzuki continued reading. "'Doctor: Kazutaka Muraki...' The rest is burnt... Think maybe these were saved in the fire?"

"Maybe... God forbid research goes missing and you have to write things down ALL over again." Hijiri took out a small book. "Hey! It's that doctor's medical journal!"

"Read it!" Tsuzuki went behind Hijiri and read over his shoulder.

"December 24, 1980:

The patient, Kurosaki Hisoka, has fallen ill. We believe him to be suffering from Lung Cancer. Both parents are chronic smokers. I may have to work a bit faster on my cure.'"

"What do you think he meant? Was he working on a cure for cancer?"

"Maybe... I don't see what else he could have meant... The rest of the page is torn out from there."

"Read the next page!"

"'January 14, 1981;

Hisoka begged for me to kill him. Apparently, the pain is too hard to bear. I thought about it, but I can't. If he can just hold on a little longer, I can finish the cure and relieve him of his pain...' "

Tsuzuki felt his heart ache. Poor kid. He went through so much pain, and yet hardly anybody knew who he was. Lung cancer... What a terrible fate. He looked down and could hear ragged breath behind him. Hisoka stood there, holding his arms. Instead of bare skin, like before, he stood in a hospital robe.

He had changed. His veins were not near as dark as before, but almost normal. But still, his aura left hostility. For the first time, he said something directly.

"Read on..." and he faded.

Tsuzuki blinked. The boy's voice was somewhat dry, held back.

Suddenly, with a feeling of despair, he realized what had really happened.

Somehow... that cure that Muraki was working on... If he ever finished it... had killed Hisoka.

_'Paraphylectic shock... The doctor was TRYING to kill him!'_

_**Chapter five**_

_**Freedom**_

"So... You're telling me that the whole reason Hisoka is here is because he wants closure...?"

"Yes! He wants somebody to tell him what happened!"

"Then why does he kill people?" Hijiri tested, not quite sure if he should believe his friends. Just hours ago, Tsuzuki didn't even believe in the paranormal, now suddenly he was trying to pass on a lost soul?

"That's just it. I don't know. I need to find that out. He can talk, he just doesn't. I heard him!"

"Riight. And I didn't? Look, Tsuzuki, you're really losing it, you need to calm down if you want to get out of here alive. Insanity fuels evil, even you must know that."

"He's not evil, Hijiri... I think... I kind of think he's a little... scared."

"SCARED! Are you fricken KIDDING me! Scared is when you curl into a tiny ball and hide from whatever you're afraid of. Scared is when you scream whenever something pops up in a horror movie! Scared is when you cry and think you are going to die! Scared is us, Tsuzuki! Scared is NOT running around and killing people instead of dealing with your own pain!"

"You make a point, but... I think you are WAY far from the truth. You ever think that maybe all of this is a defense mechanism? Something to protect himself from what he's really afraid of? I mean think about it! Wouldn't you be angry when somebody came to a place where you were content? Where you felt safe? And suddenly, a little stranger walks in and the fear started all over again! People are disturbing his resting place, and he's terrified of it. Why? Because he doesn't know what happened to him in death."

"What makes you think that?"

"Oh, I don't know. The fact that he was in a Paraphylectic SHOCK! Yea, okay, he'll remember EVERYTHING that happened to him before while it was happening! I can only imagine the things that went through his mind that day."

Hijiri looked down. "...You know, I never... I never thought about it... But... You're right. Now that I really look at it, it does seem as if he's trying to get help..." He thought back to the beginning of their trip in the basement, when they had heard somebody scream for help. He had thought it was a scare tactic. Or maybe just something to distract them from what was really going on. But now, he wondered if maybe it had meant what was said.

Tsuzuki walked out of the room and stared into the darkness. Flicking on his flashlight, he shined it at the wall. "There has got to be something more...something we are missing..."

As he walked through the hall to the other side, he noticed a cold chill. The closer he got to a door, the colder it got. Finally, he stopped and held his arms."Hisoka...?"He pointed the flashlight, and, surprise, surprise, Hisoka sat at the wall, holding his knees against his chest and staring blankly at an old box. Nothing was in it. Tsuzuki stepped closer, and Hisoka looked over at him. His eyes were normal.

Tsuzuki gasped. Now that he seen his true form, he felt as if he was in love with the boy. But that was RIDICULOUS! Why would he fall in love with a ghost?

He heard creaking above him, moaning and groaning up in the museum. Hisoka looked up, interested.

"Hisoka... we know what happened. You want to tell us something...?"

Hisoka shook his head, scooting away from him. He really was acting like a scared child.

"We don't want to hurt you... We want to help. Well... I want to help, Hijiri just wants out."

Tsuzuki heard the door at the top of the stairs opening, and Hijiri was standing in front of it, eyes wide. "...Tsuzuki! The door is-"

"I know."

"Well then, come on!"

"No. I'm helping him..."

"WHAT! WHY! Let somebody ELSE deal with this! We are just kids; we don't know what the hell we are doing!"

"You might not, but I do! Look, I don't know what it is, and I know it sounds strange, But I feel drawn to him. I mean, look at him..."

Hijiri did look at him, and he looked away immediately. "He looks just like me. Are you saying you'd be drawn to me too?"

"No. I'm saying that there's some kind of anger or sadness inside of him that not even he himself could figure out. You can go, but I'm staying here."

"Tsuzuki!"

"Look, you are the one who wanted to some here. You are the one who pushed me to come down to the basement and be scared for my LIFE. And I thank you. I know now what I need to do. I've never been able to help anyone! My father, my mother, by brothers... They all died and I couldn't help them when they needed me! But now, I CAN help him. I can do something for someone else."

"Tsuzuki..."

"Go, Hijiri. I'll catch up. He isn't going to hurt anyone, I know it. Are you Hisoka...?"

Hisoka looked up, and a soft, grateful smile crossed his face, but only for a split second. Then, he was normal once more and looked back down, casting his dull gaze to the floor.

"Tsuzuki... Are you sure? I can stay, if you want me to-"

"No. I'm completely sure. Go ahead!"

Hijiri hugged his brunette friend and smiled. "Be careful. Hisoka may not be dangerous, but the building itself is." And Hijiri walked up the stairs carefully, leaving the door open behind him.

Hisoka looked up at the door and gently shut it with his mind. Or maybe it was just a burst of air, or a current he created. He looked up at Tsuzuki, who smiled.

"Hisoka... You do understand everything I'm saying... Don't you?"

Hisoka nodded slowly, moving farther away.

Tsuzuki moved closer. "Hisoka... Come on... Don't run… you know I'm not going to hurt you..."

Hisoka moved away again, a small, happy smile on his face.

Tsuzuki frowned, and then laughed. 'I get it... This is HIS way of keeping me here... He thinks... That I'll... Oh, no...'

"Hisoka... I'm not staying here forever..."

Hisoka frowned, eyes clouding over.

"I can't... I have school, friends, homework... I have several of things to take care of."

Hisoka turned away, letting out a slight huff.

"Hisoka... Please don't be angry at me. I want to help, I do, but… it's just... If I'm caught down here, I could be arrested for breaking and entering." 'Even though nothing was broken...'

Hisoka turned slightly, looking over his shoulder. He mouthed something slowly. "I don't want to be alone, anymore...'

It made Tsuzuki wince. "I know... Hisoka... I wouldn't like it much either... But if you tell me what's on your mind, I can help you pass on and you won't have to be alone."

More groaning above them. Hisoka looked up. He pointed at the exit door.

"No. Hisoka, I'm not going anywhere."

Hisoka was more persistent. He pushed Tsuzuki softly, and Tsuzuki felt his skin burning. He let out a piercing scream, crawling away from the boy. He looked at his arm where blood slowly trickled down, and he stared at Hisoka, who looked very sorry. He was even biting his lip.

"I just can't believe you're dead... is the whole reason you were killing people because you wanted help...?"

Hisoka looked down. He nodded slowly. He finally spoke. "I...I didn't mean to... I just... I don't know how to reach out..."

"Now you do..." He looked deep into Hisoka's eyes, and Hisoka looked into Tsuzuki's amethyst ones. Both boys were clearly fascinated with each other. More so true for Tsuzuki, who had never felt so close to anybody in his life…

Suddenly, Tsuzuki heard a snap above them, he finally figured out what the sounds were.

The building was so old... It was collapsing. Hisoka suddenly hid his eyes and faded away, leaving only a slight push to Tsuzuki. The teen ran, but the ceiling above collapsed, burying him. He cried out in pain, feeling his legs break instantly. His head hit a large, sharp piece of glass a moment after, and he was gone. His blood slowly trickled between each piece of wood. Each piece of concrete. Each piece of glass was stained. And finally, the blood hit the floor below, and Tsuzuki left his mark.

_**Four days later**_

_**(Okay, this scene actually has happened to me. Mika is pretty much what I was the day of my grandfather's funeral)**_

Hijiri walked into the church, wearing a black suit. 'Tsuzuki... Oh, Tsuzuki, I'm so sorry...' He sat next to Tsuzuki's adopted father, and the man looked down.

"You're Tsuzuki's friend... Hijiri, right?"

"Yes..."

"Thank you for coming. I know he meant so much to you."

"Yea..." He couldn't bring himself to say much else.

Hijiri's family walked in soon after, his mother. Then it was Mika. Her black dress certainly exclaimed her mood. She had recently been crying, as her face was somewhat red.

"You okay, Mika?" Hijiri asked, standing and walking over to him. She looked at him and pressed her face into his chest, letting out a wail. Several people looked over, but it wasn't as if they had much to say. "Shh... Mika, it's alright... Death isn't final. It's not that last thing to happen... There's a new and exciting life beyond, much better than our own on Earth."

Mika smiled softly as Hijiri ran his finger through her soft hair and kissed her forehead. "Come on..."

_**Cemetery**_

Hijiri listened with his head down. He held his hands crossed in front of him, feeling tears welling up in his eyes. 'Death isn't final... It's not the last thing to happen...'

He suddenly collapsed, falling to his knees and looking down. Everything around him was spinning. He hadn't really eaten at all since he found out about Tsuzuki's death. He thought it was entirely his fault. Nobody else's but his own. The events of that night raced through his mind.

_**"I am only three months younger than you, Tsuzuki! THREE MONTHS!"**_

_**"Yea. Darn, I should have let you fall."**_

_**"Let's just get there before I kill this woman..."**_

_**"I...I...I seen something... Darting across the hall and going downstairs..."**_

_**"Look, I know, Hijiri. But just hear me out. If anybody hears about this, they'll think we are insane. Let's see you try to get into collage when you're in a psychiatric hospital in a strait jacket eating pudding with a STRAW!"**_

_**"Look, you are the one who wanted to some here. You are the one who pushed me to come down to the basement and be scared for my LIFE. And I thank you. I know now what I need to do. I've never been able to help anyone! My father, my mother, by brothers... They all died and I couldn't help them when they needed me! But now, I CAN help him. I can do something for someone else."**_

_**"You might not, but I do! Look, I don't know what it is, and I know it sounds strange, But I feel drawn to him. I mean, look at him..."**_

_**"Kurosaki Hisoka. Born January 23, 1965, died January 23, 1981, 2:31 of Paraphylectic shock... But Hijiri, you said that a disease killed him...?"**_

Hijiri's eyes snapped open, and everybody was staring at him. The funeral was over. He looked at the rose in his hand and walked to the lowering casket, then dropped the rose over the top. He seen an angel in the distance, and he couldn't help but run over to it.

"Hijiri..?" Mika yelled, but the raven-haired teen ignored it.

He stopped at the gravestone; the angel. He looked down at the name.

"Kurosaki Hisoka... Born - January 23, 1965, Died - January 23 1981..."

Hijiri looked up to see four feet in front of him. As he looked up, he recognized them.

"Tsuzuki... Hisoka..."

The two were holding hands. Both of them were free. Hisoka looked genuinely happy.

"Hijiri... I wanted to thank you for making me go into the basement one last time... If you hadn't, I never would have found my love."

"But... Tsuzuki... You're dead..."

"Yes... But Hijiri... You said it yourself. Death isn't final. There's something better waiting. And there will be for you, too. I have faith in you, Hijiri. And I'll always be there when you need me, just close your eyes and believe."

And with that, they disappeared, Hisoka planting a soft kiss on Tsuzuki's lips as they faded.

Hijiri smiled. Tsuzuki was right. What's the point of mourning? Sure, he would miss him terribly, and sure, he was gone from this world, but who's to say that there's nothing that comes after this? As long as he has faith... He knew he would see Tsuzuki again. Someday...

_**Fin...**_


End file.
